


Comforted

by flipflop_diva



Series: What Eyes Can't See [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Community: purimgifts, Developing Relationship, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, POV Natasha Romanov, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Protective Pepper Potts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23082913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/pseuds/flipflop_diva
Summary: When Natasha needs help after the events of The Winter Soldier, she turns to the only person she can think of to help — one Pepper Potts.Part 2 of 3
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov
Series: What Eyes Can't See [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658983
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56
Collections: Purimgifts 2020





	Comforted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [semperfiona](https://archiveofourown.org/users/semperfiona/gifts).



This wasn’t a good idea; Natasha knew that. She needed to get away from here, away from New York, away from Avengers Tower. She needed to run, to make a new cover.

But everything hurt. Her side, where the knife had embedded itself in her, burned. Her muscles ached. Her head screamed in pain. Her vision was starting to blur.

She pressed the button again, the secret one in the underground entrance that would alert Pepper that someone was near. She knew Pepper was working from here today; the secretary who had answered the phone when she’d called from a burner had told her so.

She looked around the underground parking area, trying to see into the far corners, but she could barely see anything.

She shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t be dragging anyone else into her mess.

She and Pepper were barely friends — she hadn’t seen her for months after “Natalie” quit her job at Stark Industries, not until Pepper had called her out of nowhere, asking for her help in finding the employee who was stealing from the company. From there, they had seen each other occasionally. Lunch now and again. A passing hello at a Stark Industry gala. But what was she doing now? She couldn’t involve her in this, even if her weary mind couldn’t think of anyone else she wanted to ask for help.

She stumbled backward, deeper into the dark parking garage. She had to run. She could do it.

She turned to go, but before she could even take a step, warm fingers wrapped around her arm, sending a wave of heat through her entire body.

She turned back, blinking in the dark garage. She could just make out crinkling eyes and a gentle smile, but everything was spinning now.

Something sturdy and warm wrapped around her waist and then her head was lying against something soft but firm.

“I’ve got you. You’re okay,” she thought she heard Pepper whisper into her ear, but Natasha wasn’t sure she didn’t imagine it as she finally let herself sink into the blackness.

\--

She came to in a small, white, makeshift hospital room that she knew was somewhere deep in Avengers Tower. She was lying on a bed, covered with warm blankets. She couldn’t see most of her body, but she could feel the bandages wrapped around her abdomen and parts of her arms and legs.

Her head was still pounding, but it was nowhere near as extreme as it had been before she passed out.

She was just trying to decide if she should get up when the door to the room opened, and Pepper stepped inside. She had a concerned expression on her face as she looked over at Natasha, one that turned into a small smile when she saw she was awake.

“How are you feeling?” she asked. Not “What are you doing here?” or even “What happened?”

Natasha felt her cheeks start to burn in shame. This wasn’t her. She was supposed to handle things on her own, take care of her own business.

“Natasha?” Pepper asked, as if she could read her thoughts.

“I’m sorry.” Natasha tried to sit up, to swing her legs out of bed, but the tiny motion sent the room spinning again and she groaned. She didn’t realize Pepper had moved toward her until she was pushing her back down and tucking the blankets back around her.

“Want to try again?” Pepper asked.

“I blew all my covers,” Natasha said.

“Oh, yes. I did see some mentions of Natalie on the internet this morning.”

“Some people aren’t happy with me.”

“Anyone in particular?”

Natasha shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You beat them up — I assume you beat them up? — and you don’t know who they were?”

Natasha started to shake her head, and then instantly regretted it. “They didn’t leave a calling card.”

“Okay.” Pepper nodded, before changing the subject. “And why come here?”

“It was close.”

“Is that it?” Pepper sounded like she expected a different reason. Natasha felt shame begin to spread through her again. She shouldn’t have come, she shouldn’t have put Pepper, or anyone, in danger just because … just because what? She had some sort of crush she never should have had in the first place?

“I’m sorry,” she said again, avoiding Pepper’s question. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“You’re … glad?”

“Well, despite what the rumors say, I don’t really love knowing all you guys are out there and in danger. And I’ll have you know, it’s pretty safe here. Even when Tony’s away.”

Natasha managed a smile at that. “They’re going to come looking for me,” she said.

“Let them come. We’ll be ready. Besides, I’m not going to send you back out into the world looking like this.” She gestured at Natasha. “And if you think I am, you don’t know me at all.”

\--

She was sitting on a couch in the living room on Pepper’s floor in Avengers Towers, curled up against Pepper. There had been no reason she needed to stay in the medical ward as long as she promised to rest and not over-exert herself. 

Pepper had told the doctor she wouldn’t, and she was true to her word, bringing Natasha dinner, making sure she was comfortable.

It was an odd experience. She had never had anyone take care of her before, and usually when someone tried, she let them know how much she did not appreciate it. But with Pepper, it was different. She found that she liked her near, she liked when she touched her, and now, leaning against her side as the movie flickered on the screen, she felt warm and almost safe, in a way she couldn’t remember ever feeling before.

Pepper’s arm was wrapped around her, stroking her arm, and Natasha felt her eyelids growing heavy.

“Thank you,” she managed to murmur as Pepper shushed her and Natasha’s eyes slid closed completely.

“You never have to thank me,” she thought she heard Pepper say, and then soft lips brushed against her head, and Natasha smiled as she drifted off into sleep.


End file.
